Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
“I want you to have the best day today, Peeps.”
Hadley nodded as she hopped along beside Finn. Two days had passed and she was on the mend. The antibiotics and rest had done wonders for her. Not to mention the thorough care Finn gave her. She was all better now and more than ready to return to normal.
He stopped outside The Caterpillars Room and Nanny J greeted them with a huge smile. “Well, there’s my Little friend! Are you feeling all better?”
Hadley nodded.
“I’m so glad. We missed you,” Nanny J said, hugging her tight.
“She missed everyone too. She asked about her friends often,” Finn said.
Hadley had. She’d asked her Daddy to find out if Lori was Nurse MacIntosh’s Little girl. When he’d informed her that she was, indeed, Hadley felt a moment of embarrassment at what had happened in the infirmary. Her Daddy had reminded her that there was never anything to be embarrassed about when one was sick. Big or Little didn’t matter when help was needed to feel better. With that bit of wisdom tucked away, she’d relaxed and looked forward to playing with Lori and her other friends instead of fretting.
She’d also wanted to know what everyone was doing. She’d waited a long time to make friends and she didn’t want to miss one second with them.
“Hi, Hadley!” Nate said, running to the door. One firm look from the stern teacher had him skidding to a halt. “Sorry, Nanny J.”
“That is the second time today I’ve told you to stop running inside. Go,” she said, pointing to the naughty stool in the corner.
Nate begrudgingly made his way to the stool and sat down with his arms crossed.
“You would think with Santa coming in two sleeps, certain Little boys would be much better behaved.”
Finn nodded. “You would think,” he said looking at Nate. “You need to try really hard to stay on the nice list, buddy.” Hadley tried not to giggle at Nate’s worried face. She wasn’t sure he even tried to get into trouble. It just kinda found him.
Nate nodded, looking more determined.
“Hadley and I believe in you, right, Hadley?”
She nodded super big so Nate would know she was sincere.
“Daddy will be back after lunch, okay?” Finn told Hadley, before bending and pressing a kiss to her forehead. She tipped her head up and pursed her lips.
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you, sweet girl.”
“Oh, we’ve had a development, huh?” Nanny J asked.
“We did. This Little one had mercy on me and agreed to be mine.”
“Good, it makes me happy to see the Ranch working its magic.”
“I’m very thankful for its magic,” Finn said.
Hadley tapped his chest three times. She loved him and wanted to make sure he knew before he left. Flipping through her cards, she tapped good before tapping day.
“I hope you have the best day too, Little one.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead, before sending her into the Caterpillars Room with a pat to her diapered bottom.
“Welcome back, Little one,” Miss Phoebe said as she helped Hadley put her backpack in a cubby and her lunch bag in the fridge.
“Did you already have breakfast?”
Hadley nodded.
“Alright, sweet girl. What would you like to do while we wait on everyone else to join us?”
Hadley pointed to the crayon basket.
“You want to color?”
She nodded.
Miss Phoebe reached up and grabbed the basket from the top of the shelf and handed it to Hadley. “Can you take this to the table and I’ll bring some coloring pages over?”
Hadley nodded and carefully carried the basket over to the table. She looked up when two men came in with a Little girl clinging to their legs.
“No,” the Little girl cried.
“Oh, Eloise, honey, come here,” Miss Samantha smoothed.
“The first day back is always the hardest,” one of the men said, stroking the Little girl’s black hair. He had blonde hair and was a bit smaller than the other man with them.
“We love you, baby. We’ll be back this afternoon,” the other man said, bending to press a kiss for her forehead. He had brown hair and dark skin.
The men with Eloise looked very different, but it was clear they shared the same love for her.
“Don’t go, please. Please, take me with you. I’ll be so good, Daddy,” she cried.
“No, Little one. We have a lot to catch up on and it’s not safe for you to be with us while we’re working. We love you, baby,” the blonde-haired man said.
“We’ll see you tonight,” the man with brown hair said, before handing the Little girl off to Miss Samantha.
“That’s Eloise. She has two Daddies who work security for the Ranch. They were on vacation and today is her first day back. She always has a hard time when she hasta come back the first day after her trips,” Nate explained the moment he was given permission to leave the corner.
Hadley watched as Miss Samantha hugged her and then helped her snuggle up on a cozy beanbag chair. Her heart hurt for the other girl. Transitions were so hard. Hadley decided to color her a super special Christmas picture. Maybe that would make her heart feel all better.
She went to work using the best crayons on a picture of Santa and his sleigh. It made her wonder about working on the Reindeer team. The Christmas Party started at 5:00. She was working on the Reindeer Team at 7:30 so her Daddy was going to take her to meet Santa at 5:00. He’d already helped her make a card telling Santa what she wanted for Christmas. Hadley reflected on how thankful she was for Finn.
“Did you ask your Master Finn what time you were signed up for the Reindeer Team at?” Mindy asked, skipping up to the table.
Hadley nodded and flipped her cards around. Finn had added 7:30 beside her The Reindeer Team and 5:30 beside her Carriage Ride.
“Aw bummer, I was hoping we’d be scheduled for the same time, but I’m going to see Santa before so maybe you can come and we can decorate cookies together?”
Hadley nodded, not bothering to explain she’d be there already and hoped for the same. She hesitated a second before flipping to another new card Finn had made her.
Daddy. She tapped the card with a picture of Finn on it.
Mindy gasped. “He’s your Daddy now?”
Hadley nodded in excitement.
“That’s such a good Christmas gift!” Mindy squealed.
Hadley nodded. It was the best gift ever.
“Why are we so excited?” Lori asked, sitting at the table. Hadley leaned across and hugged her. Her heart grew four sizes when Lori hugged her back.
“Hadley has a Daddy now.” Mindy said.
“Oh! It’s the Christmas magic!” Lori squealed. “It worked to bring me a new Mommy and I just knew it would work to bring you a Daddy!”
“Totally the Christmas magic,” Nate agreed. “What’s the Christmas magic?” he asked, making everyone giggle because he hadn’t been paying attention.
“Master Finn is Hadley’s Daddy now,” Mindy said, filling him in.
“Oh! Congratulations,” Nate said.
Thank you. Hadley tapped her card.
The group worked in silence for a while, well, everyone except Nate. He kept the chatter going.
Hadley finished her picture and pushed back her chair.
“Where ya going?” Nate asked.
Hadley pointed to where Eloise lay curled on the mat. She tiptoed over, trying not to make too much noise and trying very hard not to flap.
Eloise looked up when Hadley approached. She quickly wiped her face and spit out her pacifier. Hadley held out the picture and the other little took it.
“You made this for me?”
Hadley nodded.
“Why?”
Hadley flipped through her cards. Sad.
“Cause I was sad?”
Hadley nodded again.
“That’s really nice. Thank you,” Eloise said, sitting up on the beanbag. “My name is Eloise.”
Hadley. Nonverbal.
“It’s nice to meet you, Hadley. Are you visiting for Christmas?”
Hadley nodded.
“How many days have you been here?”
Hadley counted before holding up eight fingers.
“Oh. I was on vacation with my Daddies. Today is my first day back.” Eloise wiped at some new tears on her face.
Hadley patted her leg. She hated her new friend was so upset.
“Girls, would you like to read one of our new Christmas books together?” Miss Phoebe asked, walking over and holding out some new books.
“Yes, please,” Eloise said, picking two from the stack.
“Do you like to read?”
Hadley nodded.
“Have you ever read this one?” Eloise asked, holding up a book with a blue truck on it.
Hadley shook her head.
“I’ll read it to you,” she said. “This is one of our favorites at home.”
Hadley smiled. She wasn’t sure if Eloise reading a book to her meant she’d made another friend, but she thought maybe it was a good sign.